Pepper prices show increases
The International Pepper Community (IPC) finds that with the exception of Sarawak (Malaysia), pepper prices in most producing countries increased this week.
After continuously decreasing in the last few months’ pepper prices in Indonesia showed an increasing trend, the organisation noted. “Last week local price of pepper in Indonesia increased marginally and this week the price increased further by 9% for black in Lampung and 2% for white in Bangka,” it added in its report for the week to November 25.
The fob price at the sources also increased, the report observed.
According to the IPC’s analysis, in Vietnam, the price increased by 2-3%. Only white pepper at the domestic market was reported to have been unchanged, it stated. In dollar terms however, the price decreased marginally due to weakening of the Vietnamese dong against US dollar. In India, a price increase was also recorded and in Sri Lanka the price was relatively stable, the IPC finds. “In China, the price tended to increase also. On an average however, this week’s price is still slightly lower,” it observed.
The IPC described the price changes in Sarawak as “incredible”. During the last week, local prices of black and white pepper decreased by 14% and 11% respectively, whereas prices at other source tended to increase.
“This week the price decreased further by 10% for black and 4% for white. Pepper prices in Sarawak are also expected to be on an increasing trend because no crop from any producing country is expected until January next year. In addition to the real decrease a weakening of the Malaysian ringgit against US dollar is also contributing to the decrease in pepper prices,” the IPC added.
Rising imports in France
The report also made reference to year-on-year increased in pepper imports by France.
It recalled that in 2015 France imported 10,200 tonnes of pepper (of which 7,520 tonnes was whole and 2,680 tonnes ground pepper), an increase of around 600 tonnes (7%) from 9,600 tonnes in 2014.
The EU country’s pepper imports are expected to increase further this year, as indicated by the volumes purchased in the first nine months of the year.
Between January and September 2016, France has imported 9,170 tonnes (6,863 tonnes of whole and 2,307 tonnes of ground pepper), a gain of 19% from 7,674 tonnes (5,549 tonnes of whole and 2,125 tonnes of ground pepper) in the same period of 2015.
Vietnam was the main supplier of pepper for France, replacing Brazil to the second position.
Out of the 9,170 tonnes of pepper imported by France a volume of 2,320 tonnes (25%) was from Vietnam, while Brazil supplied 1,980 tonnes (22%). Indonesia also supplied a significant quantity of 1,700 tonnes (19%) into France during the first nine months of this year.
IPC’s figures are very close to data collated by Eurostat/GTIS. This puts imports from Vietnam over the first nine months of this year at 2,316 tonnes (up 14.3% from 2,026 tonnes in the same period of 2015) with those from Brazil at 2,102 tonnes (+ 44% from 1,459 tonnes previously) and Indonesia at 1,706 tonnes (+73.6% from 983 tonnes earlier).
